Wow! Gigantic Animals That Actually Exist

The Giant Mekong Catfish Is Endangered

On May 1, 2005, fishermen from northern Thailand caught this giant catfish in the Mekong River. (That’s why the species is named the Mekong giant catfish). The fish weighed 646 pounds and was nearly nine feet long (as large as a grizzly bear). The fish was the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. Unfortunately, these fish are disappearing. Zeb Hogan, a member of the World Wildlife Fund told the media, “I’m thrilled that we’ve set a new record, but we need to put this discovery in context: these giant fish are uniformly poorly studied and some are critically endangered. Some, like the Mekong giant catfish, face extinction.”

Later you’ll see what else was found in the Mekong River, that makes you wonder why anyone would step foot in it.